Slow iMac - Apple help is so crap

Question

Me again
My iMac supposed to be reliable and fast. Well it is not.
I spend most of my time staring at colorful spinning ball even when performing basic tasks like logging in or opening Safari web page (35 MB broadband is a joke with my iMac performance).
Been on the phone to Apple (have purchased Apple care) and done restarting, reinstalling OS X, checking zillions of statuses, everything is fine, apart from the fact my iMac is very slow.
I have started recording on my video camera my iMac performance to show the great inventors from Apple how easy they took my £1700 and delivered crap. Can very bad performance of 20 months iMac can be explained? oh, and yes Apple Genius (yes Genius) informed me my iMac is old.........
Attaching history of problems........
If that was a PC i wouldnt be surprised
Ok. This one is tricky> to me.
Last two weeks my iMac (14 months old) with latest Leopard has started playing up - freezing, waking itself up, spinning ball for 6 minutes to open Safari etc etc etc). Eventually I ended up cold restarting it 5 times per day.
I have Mac Protection Plan so when I had enough I called Apple today. The first guy I spoke tried to convince me that it was normal behavior (SIC!!!), and when I disagreed to suggest I need to archive current system by holding C key and inserting installation DVDs. I have been asked to call again after installation finishes to be guided what to next.
So when I did the other guy was puzzled why I was asked to do this and came with an idea that my problems are due to Intego anti virus software I had installed as recommended when buying my iMac. This time I was advised to reinstall Leopard from beginning and wipe everything out. I was told to create a folder and move all my important files (iTunes, Iphoto etc) and back them up using Time Machine and restore after. Easy I thought. But after archiving the system my Time Machine says it cant be mounted as the back up volume cant be found and I dont know how to sort it and back up only a folder. Plus I fear to loose 300GB of files.
Sorry guys I bought iMac for simplicity, but to me its Chineese. I am about to throw my iMac through the window.
Any idea?
iMac 24inch 2.8GHZ Core 2 Duo Extreme Mac OS X (10.5.7)
Poikkeus
Posts: 762
Registered: 30-May-2002
Re: iMac stability issues - Mess
Posted: 20-Jun-2009 20:38 in response to: Radek
Aside from relying on Intego, the second Apple guy was probably on target with his suggestions. To fix your system, I'd ask you a few questions:
1. Did you Archive and Install? With a full install, you'd lose all of your data, but Archive and Install keeps your personal apps, etc would remain otherwise untouched.
2. Have you done any diagnostics, like Disk First Aid or Onyx? This helps some basic issues become they become problems.
3. What kind of external backup drive did you use with Time Machine? Did you restore before or after your attempted Archive and Install? How large is your external backup drive?
You may have answered one or two of these questions before, but the more we know, the better chance at success.
iMac (2.93gb) - MacBook (2.1gb) Mac OS X (10.5.7) iPod Touch- v.1 (32gb)
Radek
Posts: 21
Registered: 23-Jan-2005
Re: iMac stability issues - Mess
Posted: 20-Jun-2009 21:07 in response to: Poikkeus
Hey. thank you for taking time to help me.
Few answers , hope that helps
1. I have completed archive and install. When I click on Macinstosh HD icon I can see folder called: Previous System. However when I completed installing and logged in, my system was the same (folders and files unchanged).
2. Done Onyx and Disk First Aid, also trashed all Intego files and restart. Even worse. After 5 minutes iMac freezes and goes crazy. Bluetooth has gone from Hardware.
3.I use Time Capsule with TM. Time Capsule is 1TB.
Hope that helps
iMac 24inch 2.8GHZ Core 2 Duo Extreme Mac OS X (10.5.4)
Carolyn Samit
Posts: 15,109
From: Apple USA
Registered: 05-Aug-2005
Re: iMac stability issues - Mess
Posted: 21-Jun-2009 08:52 in response to: Radek
HI,
First, delete the anti virus software from your iMac.
Next, check the hard disk for errors.
Insert the installer disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu (Panther and earlier) or Utilities menu (Tiger and later) and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
Select your start up disk and click Restart
While you have the Disk Utility app open, look at the bottom of the window. You will see Capacity and Available. Make sure the available disk space never falls below 10% of the total drive.
Get Cocktail and run maintenance.
"waking itself up" Try resetting the SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543
Intel iMac 2.66GHz PBG4SDrive iBook4 10.4 Toshiba WinXP Airport Extreme Mac OS X (10.5.7) WirelessMM Airport Wacom Intuos Tablet iLife 09 DW and TTPro Epson Olympus
Radek
Posts: 21
Registered: 23-Jan-2005
Re: iMac stability issues - Mess
Posted: 21-Jun-2009 09:07 in response to: Carolyn Samit
Hi there.
I am afraid things gone worse since yesterday.
I managed to run Disk Utility and everything is fine, SMART is verified too.
At the moment my iMac is flashing grey screen at me. When is stop, it doesnt recognise my wired mouse.
The cursor is moving, but when I try to click on anything... nothing...just a bing sound.

Answer 1

You might want to keep Activity Monitor open and when your Mac slows down look at that and see what process might be causing the slow down.
lenn